There's a scientific reason for your teenager's poor personal hygiene

Any parent of teenagers know that hygiene can sometimes fall a little by the wayside, whether we're talking about a stinky bedroom, unwashed clothes or a reluctance to shower.

And now science may finally have revealed why youngsters often seem oblivious to body odour and bad smells...

As the Daily Mailreports, it's genuinely not their fault: it looks like teens quite simply don't notice that nasty pong.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Scientists from Aarhus University in Denmark tested the effects of common smells on over 400 people aged under 50. While almost everyone was able to detect overpowering scents, such as petrol and fish, there was a marked difference between the generations when it came to other odours.

The teenage participants were less adept at recognising some unpleasant smells, including sweat. One in seven of them couldn't recognise the smell of body odour at all, while 10% couldn't identify the stench of stale cigarette smoke.

Conversely, the vast majority of adults (92% and 97% respectively) were able to identify them. Pretty tellingly, the older volunteers were also better at detecting the smell of soap.

The study, published in the journal Chemical Senses seems to provide an explanation for why teenagers are often so immune to bad smells, claiming it may take them several years to become accustomed enough to odours to register them properly.

Lead author Alexander Fjaelstad said: 'Our findings in adolescents are in line with the hypothesis that children may lack odour-specific knowledge which accumulates throughout life.

'Though odours are potent triggers of autobiographical memories from as far back as the first decade of life — and in a way closely linked to memory — the ability to name odours is an acquired skill that takes years to master.'

Well, at least we can reassure ourselves with the fact that they WILL grow out of it eventually (*grabs air freshener*)

Newsletter Signup

Don't miss out on Prima direct to your inbox

Please tick here if you would prefer not to receive the latest special offers, promotions and product information from Hearst Magazines UK.
Tick here if you would like to receive special offers and really useful information from our approved partner companies. You won't get bombarded and you'll be able to unsubscribe at any time.